How Fox News Is Destroying the Republican Party

[Mosaic]

By Eric Boehlert, Media Matters

Wannabe kingmaker Roger Ailes is facing an open revolt.

More and more despondent conservatives are expressing alarm over the unfolding Republican primary season and what they see as the party's dwindling chances of defeating President Obama in November. Spooked at the general elections prospects facing frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich (especially Gingrich), members of the so-called Republican Establishment seem to want to reboot the election season and try their nominating luck again.

Sorry, it's too late.

Read more here: http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/276-74/9656-how-fox-news-is-destroying-the-republican-party

[veganlush]

1. Even David Frum is concerned about fux "news" and their effect on voters

http://front.moveon.org/former-bush-speechwriter-slams-fox-for-creating-alternative-knowledge-system/#.TyH2mxv29xV.facebook

[aaaaaa5a]

2. Years ago I use to worry about how FOX news dominated cable ratings.

However, it has become very apparent (at least on the Presidential level) that FOX news does nothing but preach to their masses.

In the 2008 Presidential election, 90% of Fox News viewers voted for McCain. On all other news outlets (ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN) their viewer vote breakdown was 60% Obama to 40% McCain. Even on MSNBC, which supposedly leans left, its audience voted 60% Obama to 40% McCain. In fact viewers who watched CNN actually voted for Obama in larger percentages than people who watched MSNBC for their primary news source.

In addition, the FOX news audience demographic is very old. And not very diverse.

I have found it very interesting that I believe every major GOP Presidential candidate has appeared on MSNBC (Morning Joe mostly). This is because this is where voters who decide elections are. In 2016, the odds that every Democratic presidential candidate will appear on FOX news (especially their morning show) is very small. There is simply no reason to go there. This is clearly becoming true for GOP contenders too.


The Fox news audience is increasingly made up of the 40% of voters who are going to vote GOP no matter what. And for that reason, to some degree, they have become the least relevant news operation of the big three cable news networks.

[Warpy]

3. I look at their demographics and retain hope

because most of the people who have slipped into their alternate universe are bitter retired white males who failed to develop any interest outside work and now find themselves with too much time on their hands now that the working world doesn't want them any more.

The jiggly bottle blondes and whoosh noises suck them in. The convenient (and wrong) targets for their anger keep them there.

[aaaaaa5a]

4. Good call.

I found it interesting this year when John Stewart's show surpassed all but "The Factor" in raw TV viewing audience. The Daily show's audience is much younger and more diverse. It is the future. It also means that even in a median where right wing news shows dominate cable ratings, the second most popular TV news show is Stewart's more "fact based" news programing.

[Populist_Prole]

7. Man you hit dead center there

I know those people. Am related to some too. If I could sum them up in 2 words: Bitter. Paranoid.

[rocktivity]

5. Here's something I posted about four years ago:

Last edited Sat Jul 30, 2016, 10:36 AM - Edit history (10)

...(T)hough we're fighting over who the Dem candidate will be, at least they're WORTH fighting over. The poor GOP voters can't figure out whether McCain or Huckabee is the best of the worst, and their leadership hates them for not lockstepping along with Romney...
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/rocknation/352

And here's something DU-er Lame54 posted about four years ago:

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The 2008 GOP primary season and Obama's cheatproof margin of victory should have told the GOP leadership that they were stampeding toward a cliff -- and they should have noticed that their voters weren't following them. But instead of giving themselves a strategic makeover, they've tried to fob off the same flabby candidates with the same flabby talking points. Five years ago, one could understand the GOP believing that being defeated by a woman or an African-American was the stuff that dreams are made of. But what's their excuse now -- Fox News? Don't make me laugh.

Whether or not you agree that "Fox News has moved in and essentially replaced the RNC as the driving electoral force in Republican politics today," it isn't Roger Ailes's fault that Perry made Bush Jr. seem lucid, that Cain made Bachmann seem lucid, that Romney is as appealing as a cactus, or that Gingrich called Obama a "food stamp President."

While Fox News should rightfully be considered a branch of Republican party, their role is that of a pipeline to the public. Ailes can only work with what the GOP shovels into Fox News's front end. Suggesting that Ailes is a loose cannon recklessly spewing "relentless paranoia" and "slash and burn tactics" simply enables the Republican crime family values of deflecting blame and avoiding accountability. The blame and accountability lie squarely with "the private face" of the GOP leadership for being too ideologically tone-deaf at best, and too rich at worst, to display any genuine attention -- never mind empathy -- toward the voters.

I agree that it is now "too late" for the GOP, but it would be unfair not to point out that they have also been the victims of bad timing. Even if they do succeed at force-feeding us Romney at their convention, the Occupy/99 Percent movement has turned him into the ultimate one percenter. That is to say, Mitt Romney is the wrong candidate at the wrong time -- once again.


rocktivity

[rocktivity]

6. David "Axis of Evil" Frum discussing "alternative knowledge systems"

Last edited Mon Jan 30, 2012, 12:42 PM - Edit history (2)

Is like King Henry the Eighth discussing marital bliss.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=898


rocktivity

[cbrer]

8. The Republican party is safe and sound

What may be remarkable is the level of intensity of the biting, acerbic, and ultimately self defeating (I believe) display we've seen. But nonetheless, I can definitely report that lots O conservatives are toeing the party line, and will be voting in November.

The farce occurs before our eyes. And we can't see how this would apply if the GOP were the incumbent party? Don't kid yourself. American politics has become loud and proud. Last man standing hell. How about the last man breathing??

And again...none of our problems as a nation, will reach an optimum solution.

[Doctor_J]

9. Just keep believing this

Fox has been on for more than ten years, hate radio for more than 20. Exactly how have they "destroyed" the Repukes?

One thing they have going for them is the deep denial of people like the author and the OP